Uploaded December 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In this episode, Bernard Butler joins Kevin Paul to discuss his early steps into music production and how he approaches working with new artists and bands. He shares insights on touring, adding value as a producer and songwriting partner, collaborating with engineers and why staying creative, not formulaic, remains central to his work.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - Butler, Blake & Grant
02:08 - Self-Organising A Touring Schedule
04:35 - Getting Started In Music Production
06:57 - Approach To Working With New Artists
13:39 - Persuading Bands To Try Fresh Ideas
15:03 - Adding Value As A Producer
17:02 - Working With Engineers Who Capture Performances
21:59 - Songwriting Process, Inspiration And Jamming
28:06 - BB & The King Radio Show
30:20 - Following Your Passion And Being Unique
34:49 - Current Studio Projects And Tours
36:39 - Keeping The Production Process Creative, Not Formulaic
soundonsound.com/people/bernard-butler-musician-and-producer-sos-podcast
Bernard Butler Biog
Bernard Butler is an acclaimed English musician, songwriter and producer, recognised as one of Britain’s most influential guitarists. A founding member of Suede, he co-wrote and played on the band’s early classics, including The Drowners, Metal Mickey and their Mercury Prize-winning debut, before his ambitious work on Dog Man Star cemented his reputation.
After leaving Suede, he formed the celebrated partnership McAlmont & Butler, releasing Yes, You Do and later the album Bring It Back. His two solo records for Creation were followed by a prolific production career, shaping releases for The Libertines, Duffy, Tricky, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Paloma Faith, The Cribs and many others. His collaboration with Duffy on Rockferry earned a Grammy and multiple Brit Awards.
Butler has appeared as guitarist on projects for Aimee Mann, Neneh Cherry, Bryan Ferry and Bert Jansch, and continues to work across songwriting, scoring, teaching and radio. Recent highlights include his Mercury-shortlisted album with Jessie Buckley (For All Our Days That Tear The Heart) and his 2023 solo release Good Grief on 355 Recordings. He also continues to tour regularly.
bernardbutler.com
instagram.com/bernardbutlerofficial
facebook.com/bernardbutlerofficial
Kevin Paul Biog
Kevin Paul is a London-based mixer, engineer and producer whose career began at Soho Studios in 1991 before moving to Konk Studios, working with producers such as Bob Clearmountain, Pascal Gabriel and Gil Norton. After engineering the Depeche Mode archive, he joined Mute Records as Head Engineer, mixing landmark projects including Goldfrapp’s Felt Mountain, David Bowie’s Hours, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ No More Shall We Part, as well as multiple 5.1 releases.
Going freelance in 2004, he remixed the entire Depeche Mode and Nick Cave catalogues for SACD/DVD and has since mixed over 100 artists for the iTunes Festivals, including Adele, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, The xx, Foo Fighters, Jack White, Oasis, Calvin Harris and many more.
Kevin continues to work across music and film, teaches mixing and surround at the University of Westminster, and regularly records, mixes and produces projects for international artists.
kevin-paul.com
About The People & Music Industry Podcast Channel.
Listen to experts in the field, company founders, equipment designers, engineers, producers and educators.
______________________________________________________
Catch more shows on our podcast channel.
soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts
Available on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.
______________________________________________________
Subscribe to Sound On Sound: https://sosm.ag/subscribe
Visit our main website (over 17,800 articles!): soundonsound.com
______________________________________________________
Get FREE 170-page RECORDING TECHNOLOGY eBook: https://sosm.ag/recording-ebook
______________________________________________________
Get 50% SAVING off a Sound On Sound Digital Subscription.
Go to https://sosm.ag/digital and apply Promo Code: SOSYT50
Like FACEBOOK: facebook.com/soundonsoundmag
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In this episode, Bernard Butler joins Kevin Paul to discuss his early steps into music production and how he approaches working with new artists and bands. He shares insights on touring, adding value as a producer and songwriting partner, collaborating with engineers and why staying creative, not formulaic, remains central to his work.
Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:30 - Butler, Blake & Grant
02:08 - Self-Organising A Touring Schedule
04:35 - Getting Started In Music Production
06:57 - Approach To Working With New Artists
13:39 - Persuading Bands To Try Fresh Ideas
15:03 - Adding Value As A Producer
17:02 - Working With Engineers Who Capture Performances
21:59 - Songwriting Process, Inspiration And Jamming
28:06 - BB & The King Radio Show
30:20 - Following Your Passion And Being Unique
34:49 - Current Studio Projects And Tours
36:39 - Keeping The Production Process Creative, Not Formulaic
soundonsound.com/people/bernard-butler-musician-and-producer-sos-podcast
Bernard Butler Biog
Bernard Butler is an acclaimed English musician, songwriter and producer, recognised as one of Britain’s most influential guitarists. A founding member of Suede, he co-wrote and played on the band’s early classics, including The Drowners, Metal Mickey and their Mercury Prize-winning debut, before his ambitious work on Dog Man Star cemented his reputation.
After leaving Suede, he formed the celebrated partnership McAlmont & Butler, releasing Yes, You Do and later the album Bring It Back. His two solo records for Creation were followed by a prolific production career, shaping releases for The Libertines, Duffy, Tricky, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Paloma Faith, The Cribs and many others. His collaboration with Duffy on Rockferry earned a Grammy and multiple Brit Awards.
Butler has appeared as guitarist on projects for Aimee Mann, Neneh Cherry, Bryan Ferry and Bert Jansch, and continues to work across songwriting, scoring, teaching and radio. Recent highlights include his Mercury-shortlisted album with Jessie Buckley (For All Our Days That Tear The Heart) and his 2023 solo release Good Grief on 355 Recordings. He also continues to tour regularly.
bernardbutler.com
instagram.com/bernardbutlerofficial
facebook.com/bernardbutlerofficial
Kevin Paul Biog
Kevin Paul is a London-based mixer, engineer and producer whose career began at Soho Studios in 1991 before moving to Konk Studios, working with producers such as Bob Clearmountain, Pascal Gabriel and Gil Norton. After engineering the Depeche Mode archive, he joined Mute Records as Head Engineer, mixing landmark projects including Goldfrapp’s Felt Mountain, David Bowie’s Hours, and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ No More Shall We Part, as well as multiple 5.1 releases.
Going freelance in 2004, he remixed the entire Depeche Mode and Nick Cave catalogues for SACD/DVD and has since mixed over 100 artists for the iTunes Festivals, including Adele, Ed Sheeran, Alicia Keys, The xx, Foo Fighters, Jack White, Oasis, Calvin Harris and many more.
Kevin continues to work across music and film, teaches mixing and surround at the University of Westminster, and regularly records, mixes and produces projects for international artists.
kevin-paul.com
About The People & Music Industry Podcast Channel.
Listen to experts in the field, company founders, equipment designers, engineers, producers and educators.
______________________________________________________
Catch more shows on our podcast channel.
soundonsound.com/sos-podcasts
Available on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts.
______________________________________________________
Subscribe to Sound On Sound: https://sosm.ag/subscribe
Visit our main website (over 17,800 articles!): soundonsound.com
______________________________________________________
Get FREE 170-page RECORDING TECHNOLOGY eBook: https://sosm.ag/recording-ebook
______________________________________________________
Get 50% SAVING off a Sound On Sound Digital Subscription.
Go to https://sosm.ag/digital and apply Promo Code: SOSYT50
Like FACEBOOK: facebook.com/soundonsoundmag
Follow X (Twitter): twitter.com/soundonsoundmag
Follow INSTAGRAM: instagram.com/soundonsoundmag
